Scottish Executive

Agriculture

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what proposals it has to ensure early payment of agri-monetary compensation to farmers, whether it will provide any matching funding and, if so, how much.

Ross Finnie: Subject to final EU Commission approval we propose to begin making sheep agrimoney payments in early April and beef agrimoney payments in mid to late April.

  Of the £156 million optional agrimoney package announced by the Government on 27 February 2001 all but £30 million is subject to match funding. In other words the EU will be funding £93 million and the UK Exchequer £63 million. However, because of the operation of the Fontainebleau agreement the UK taxpayer will end up paying £129 million or some 83% of the total.

  We estimate that Scotland’s share of the UK package will be around £24.5 million, of which £15.5 million will be EU funded and £9 million UK funded.

Air Services

Dr Winnie Ewing (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to Her Majesty’s Government and airlines operating within the Highlands and Islands regarding a reduction in the cost of airfares to and from the area.

Sarah Boyack: Under the provisions of the Scotland Act 1998, matters concerning the regulation of aviation and air transport are reserved to the UK Government. The Scottish Executive is, however, in regular contact with the UK Government about a wide range of matters and, through its contacts with airlines operating in the Highlands and Islands, has discussed the improvement of fare structures to encourage more discounted fares as a means of promoting greater use of air services.

Anti-Social Behaviour

Mr Keith Harding (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the outcome was of the evaluation of the Dundee Families Project by Glasgow University referred to in paragraph 43 of Housing and Anti-Social Behaviour: The Way Ahead and which other local authorities have subsequently implemented similar programmes.

Jackie Baillie: The evaluation of the Dundee Families Project is not due for completion until the end of May 2001. A copy of the report, when published, will be placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre. We are not aware of any other similar programmes in operation.

Anti-Social Behaviour

Mr Keith Harding (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many landlords have made use of the services offered by Safeguarding Communities Reducing Offending (SACRO) and referred to in paragraph 18 of Housing and Anti-Social Behaviour: The Way Ahead to date, broken down by local authority area.

Jackie Baillie: 22 local authorities have so far made use of the mediation services offered by Safeguarding Communities Reducing Offending (SACRO). These are listed in the table. In addition SACRO have held discussions with some 30 housing associations.

  The following local authorities have made use of services offered by SACRO.

  


Aberdeenshire 
  

Midlothian 
  



Angus 
  

North Ayrshire 
  



Argyll and Bute 
  

North Lanarkshire 
  



City of Edinburgh 
  

Orkney Islands 
  



Clackmannanshire 
  

Perth and Kinross 
  



East Ayrshire 
  

Renfrewshire 
  



East Dunbartonshire 
  

Scottish Borders 
  



East Renfrewshire 
  

Shetland Islands 
  



Falkirk 
  

South Ayrshire 
  



Highland 
  

South Lanarkshire 
  



Western Isles 
  

West Lothian

Anti-Social Behaviour

Mr Keith Harding (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the outcome was of the evaluation of the fast-tracking for drugs cases referred to in paragraph 97 of Housing and Anti-Social Behaviour: The Way Ahead and what action has subsequently been taken as a result of this evaluation.

Jackie Baillie: The evaluation of the fast-tracking for drugs cases has recently been received and is currently being considered.

Anti-Social Behaviour

Mr Keith Harding (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the outcome was of the new baseline study into housing management practice referred to in paragraph 55 of Housing and Anti-Social Behaviour: The Way Ahead and what action has subsequently been taken as a result of this study.

Jackie Baillie: Two parts of the study, "A Review of the Literature" and "A Review of Progress" were placed on the Scottish Executive website in August 2000. The third part of the review, "Case Studies, Conclusions and Recommendations", has now been completed but has yet to be published. A copy of the full report, when published, will be placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre.

Anti-Social Behaviour

Mr Keith Harding (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the outcome was of the study to evaluate the impact of evictions on individuals and families referred to in paragraph 70 of  Housing and Anti-Social Behaviour: The Way Ahead and what action has been taken as a result of this study.

Jackie Baillie: This study has been included in the Development Department Research Programme for 2001-02 and will be commissioned later this year.

Anti-Social Behaviour

Mr Keith Harding (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what options for speeding up the eviction process were explored following the analysis of the research study into any possible delays in the legal process in dealing with anti-social behaviour cases referred to in paragraph 50 of Housing and Anti-Social Behaviour: The Way Ahead .

Jackie Baillie: The research found that whilst there was scope for some minor improvements in the courts, the greatest scope for improvement lay with the landlords and related agencies.   I understand, however, that the Sheriff Court Rules Council is considering, as part of its current review of procedure, how cases dealt with under summary cause procedure, including eviction cases, can be dealt with more expeditiously.

Apprenticeships

Mike Watson (Glasgow Cathcart) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many modern apprentices are (a) male and (b) female, and how many are from ethnic minorities, broken down by industry in each case.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Of the total 17,345 modern apprentices in training, 13,829 (80%) are male; 3,387 (20%) are female; 47 (0.3%) are from ethnic minorities, and 82 (0.5%) have opted not to state their ethnic origin. I will ask my officials to write to Mr Watson with a breakdown by MA framework.

Bridges

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-3338 by Sarah Boyack on 18 January 2000, how many of the 20 confirmed sub-standard bridges have now been brought up to standard or placed on a firm programme of works for upgrading; what the re-assessment of the remaining bridges has shown, and which of these bridges will be included in further upgrading programmes.

Sarah Boyack: Four of the 20 bridges have been strengthened and six reassessed as adequate. With the exception of the A8 Orchard Farm Rail bridge, which has been strengthened by propping as an interim measure pending the outcome of further studies into the options for M8 Baillieston-Newhouse, the remainder have been included in the trunk road bridge strengthening programme.

  Of the other 53 bridges, 24 have been reassessed as adequate, 26 were confirmed as sub-standard, of which seven have subsequently been strengthened. The reassessment of three structures is in progress.

  The following 25 bridges will therefore be strengthened in the programme:

  


A76 Marchburn 
  

A82 Achtriochtan 
  

M8 Deans Road 
  



A78 Inverkip Street Rail 
  

A82 Achnambeithach 
  

M8 Starlaw 
  



A82 Allt Chonoglais 
  

A82 Allt Fhiodhan 
  

M8 Arkleston 
  



A82 Ba 
  

A87 Bunan 
  

M8 White Cart 
  



A82 Allt Molach 
  

A87 Broadford 
  

M8 St James Interchange (East) 
  



A82 Creagdubh1


A898 Erskine 
  

M8 St James Interchange (West) 
  



A82 Allt Nan Guibhas 
  

A9 Kessock 
  

M8 Black Cart 
  



A82 Lairig Eilde 
  

M74 Raith 
  

M9 Hill Overbridge 
  



A82 Altanrigh 
  
 

M9 River Avon 
  



  Notes:

  1. Originally listed as adequate, further investigation resulted in this bridge being regraded as sub-standard.

  Not included in this list are three bridges which are to be bypassed by proposed trunk road schemes. These structures have been strengthened by propping as an interim measure pending their replacement.

Bridges

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-3338 by Sarah Boyack on 18 January 2000, what action it proposes to take to upgrade or replace bridges then and subsequently identified as being unsuitable for reassessment.

Sarah Boyack: Sub-standard bridges will be strengthened or replaced on a prioritised basis as part of the annual trunk road bridge maintenance programme. It is expected this work will take five years to complete but the actual timescale will depend on competing priorities and the availability of funding.

  Not included in this programme are four sub-standard bridges that will be replaced as part of other proposed schemes involving the improvement or realignment of the existing trunk road. These structures have been strengthened by propping as an interim measure pending their replacement.

Care of the Elderly

Cathie Craigie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how and when it will implement the £100 million at home care package for older people announced on 5 October 2000.

Malcolm Chisholm: The additional resources are being made available progressively to 2003-04. We are issuing guidance on implementation of the various elements to local authorities and health boards; we are also entering into partnership agreements with local authorities.

Child Welfare

Mr Gil Paterson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it will make to Her Majesty’s Government regarding legislation to protect children in Scotland being abused as a result of use of the Internet.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the United Kingdom Government on a wide range of issues, including the regulation of the internet.

  The Executive fully recognises the need for the utmost vigilance in this area. On 21 March Mr Jack McConnell announced the setting up of an action group to review existing support and guidance on internet safety for children. The Executive is also committed to working with other relevant agencies on this issue, including those of the UK Government, and to legislate if necessary.

Community Care

Shona Robison (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many calls from carers have been received by the NHS Helpline since the launch of its service for carers in April 2000 and whether this level of calls represents value for money.

Malcolm Chisholm: Between 1 April and 31 December last year a total of 1,231 calls were received by the NHS Helpline on carer-related issues. Information is one of the main needs of carers. Our decision to extend the NHS Helpline to contain social care information, and particularly information for carers, is potentially helping over 100 carers a month. Carers can now obtain advice and support through a single and easily accessible gateway, one that was previously unavailable to them, and that is to be welcomed.

Community Care

Shona Robison (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made on its commitment to promoting carer-friendly employment policies with the business sector, as outlined in Strategy for Carers in Scotland .

Malcolm Chisholm: The promotion of carer-friendly employment policies is a reserved matter. The Department for Education and Employment, and other UK Departments, are already taking action to promote carer-friendly employment policies amongst the UK business sector through, for example, the Work-Life Balance Campaign. Officials in the Scottish Executive will shortly meet UK Government officials to discuss the position in Scotland.

Culture

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to intervene to prevent any liquidation of the Highland Cultural Centre at Balnain House, Inverness.

Allan Wilson: None. The company went into liquidation on 25 January this year.

Culture

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to ask Highland Council, Inverness and Nairn Enterprise and the Scottish Arts Council to assist Balnain House, Inverness, to remain open.

Allan Wilson: No. The company decided to go into liquidation on 25 January this year.

Drugs

Mr Keith Harding (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what results have been achieved following the completion of the first year of the drug treatment and testing order pilot in Glasgow and what plans there are for similar pilots.

Iain Gray: The first Drug Treatment and Testing Order in Glasgow was made on 10 February 2000. In the period to the end of February 2001 a further 46 orders were made. To date, there have been two successful completions and seven offenders reported to the court for breach. Of the latter, three cases have been dealt with by the court and one of these orders has been revoked. The remaining orders continue in force. An evaluation study of the Glasgow pilot and a second pilot established in Fife last July is currently under way and it is intended that the findings of this study will be published towards the end of the year. A commitment to a third site covering Aberdeen/Aberdeenshire was announced last November. Decisions on further extension will await the outcome of the evaluation.

Economy

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why Scottish economic growth rates have failed to match UK growth rates in recent years.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Latest data show that quarterly growth in Scotland is broadly in line with the UK, although year-on-year growth is slower. Independent forecasters (BSL and Cambridge Econometrics) suggest that growth in Scotland will be slightly below the UK this year.

  Short-term fluctuations aside, the central issue for policy is how Scotland’s trend rate of growth can be increased. The critical element in stimulating sustainable economic growth is the enhancement of productivity throughout all Scottish enterprises. This is achieved through increasing both the quality and quantity of output per worker and through reducing costs. Improved productivity is the key source of international competitive advantage.

  This is recognised in the Executive’s recent Framework for Economic Development in Scotland and the Enterprise Strategy – a Smart, Successful Scotland – which sets out the new international conditions for economic success – growing business, ensuring Scotland is globally connected, lifelong learning and skills development.

Education

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making towards meeting its priorities on education.

Mr Jack McConnell: We have made major progress in delivering our priorities in education as set out in the Working together for Scotland document. We have also achieved a stable agreement to improve teachers’ pay and modernise their conditions, while we have established an improvement framework with national priorities which will drive improving standards in schools.

Education

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average size is of (a) a primary and (b) a secondary school class.

Mr Jack McConnell: The latest information from the 1999 school census shows that the average class size in publicly funded primary schools was 24.6. This figure covers both single stage and composite classes. A composite class includes children from more than one stage – for example P1 and P2.

  Most secondary school pupils are members of different class groupings for different subjects. Information about average class size is therefore generally regarded as less helpful than information about the average pupil:teacher ratio (PTR).

  Collection of information about average class sizes in secondary schools is time consuming for schools and was discontinued in 1997. Information about secondary PTRs is provided in the answer to question S1W-13585.

Electronic Government

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will be represented at next month’s Promoting Electronic Government Conference in Birmingham.

Angus MacKay: The Executive plans to send an official to the Promoting Electronic Government Conference in Birmingham next month, which has been organised by DETR in partnership with others, and is primarily aimed at English local authorities.

Environment

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the meeting between the First Minister and Scotland Environment Link on the decision not to appoint a dedicated Minister for the Environment has taken place and, if so, what the outcome was.

Ross Finnie: I hope that this meeting will take place soon.

Environment

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to the setting up of a national rivers authority to manage and maintain rivers, including the River Clyde and its riverbed and banks.

Ross Finnie: A national authority responsible for promoting maintenance and improvement of the environmental quality of all Scotland’s rivers, including the River Clyde, already exists in the form of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. The agency works closely with others, such as the water authorities, to continue to deliver improvements to Scotland’s water environment.

Environment

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what powers it has to prevent the dumping of rubbish and sewage in the River Clyde.

Ross Finnie: The discharge of any poisonous, noxious or polluting matter, or any solid waste matter, to the River Clyde is in most circumstances an offence under section 30F of the Control of Pollution Act 1974. The most important exception is where a consent for a discharge, such as from a sewage treatment works, is granted by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. The agency is statutorily obliged, when granting such consents, to give consideration to the protection of the environment, and attaches conditions to consents to prevent unacceptable impacts. Littering is also an offence under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

  Decisions on whether to prosecute under the 1974 and 1990 Acts are a matter for the Procurator Fiscal, though under the 1990 Act the local authority may appoint Litter Wardens with powers to serve a £25 fixed penalty notice on litter offenders, as an alternative to referring the offence to the Fiscal.

Environment

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what powers it has to ensure that the banks of the River Clyde are properly managed and maintained.

Ross Finnie: The Executive has no powers to ensure that the banks of the River Clyde are properly managed and maintained.

  In general, this is a local matter for the riparian owners concerned. However, where it is considered that maintenance of a watercourse will reduce the likelihood of flooding of non-agricultural land, local authorities have a duty to maintain it.

Environment

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to introducing greater sanctions on individuals and companies found guilty of dumping rubbish and sewerage in the River Clyde and other rivers.

Ross Finnie: There are already significant sanctions applicable to such individuals and companies. Under the terms of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, offences of littering are punishable by a fine of up to Level 4 on the Standard Scale, which is currently £2,500. The discharge of sewage without a consent from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency into the Clyde or any other Scottish river is an offence under the Control of Pollution Act 1974. On summary conviction, the maximum penalties are imprisonment for up to three months, or a fine of up to £20,000, or both. On conviction on indictment, the penalties are imprisonment for up to two years, or an unlimited fine, or both. Decisions on prosecution are a matter for the Procurator Fiscal, and sentencing (within the parameters of the Acts) is a matter for the courts.

  Where the Scottish Environment Protection Agency grants a consent for the discharge of sewage, it is bound by the terms of the Environment Act 1995 to do so in such a way as to protect the environment, for example by the application of appropriate conditions to the consent.

Environment

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it monitors pollution from sewage, rubbish and other sources in the River Clyde.

Ross Finnie: The monitoring of pollution in the River Clyde is a matter for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.

Environment

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has set any target for returning derelict and vacant land to productive use.

Sarah Boyack: The Executive is determined that vacant and derelict sites in Scotland should be brought back into use. Planning policy encourages the re-use of previously developed sites. We have not set a national target.

  We monitor and report annually on the extent of such land. The Scottish Vacant and Derelict Land Survey 2000 was published on 27 March 2001. It shows that the level of derelict and vacant land in Scotland fell in 2000 to an all-time low of 11,683 hectares.

Equal Opportunities

Mr Gil Paterson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive to whom its Equality Unit’s database of women’s organisations will be made available; what the criteria are for inclusion in the database; when it will be available, and what the reasons are for any delay in its completion.

Jackie Baillie: The Executive is committed to reviewing the Women in Scotland Consultative Forum, including the women’s database.

  It is open to any organisation which has an interest in women’s issues or which represents women to be included in the database.

  We will shortly be contacting organisations currently on the database seeking their permission to widen access to the database. Subject to their views we hope to make the database more widely accessible as soon as practical thereafter.

Finance

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the First Minister when the Scottish Executive will announce its additional financial allocation arising from the UK 2001 Budget.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Scottish Budget benefited from a £200 million addition as a result of the 2001 Budget. We will allocate the funding to meet our priorities of social justice and announce specific allocations in due course.

Finance

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has cost to value all of the capital assets of its core and associated departments and its agencies in preparation for the introduction of a resource account budgeting system and what the estimated on-going costs will be of assessing the value of these assets.

Angus MacKay: Preparation for resource accounting and budgeting began some five years ago.

  For the core and associated departments the initial set-up costs amounted to £170,000, and estimated annualised on-going costs amount to c£40,000.

  Agencies have been producing annual accounts for several years and have not incurred any additional cost in preparation for the introduction of the resource account budgeting system. Their estimated annualised on-going costs are of the order of £30,000.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in implementing the proposals for the eradication of foot-and-mouth disease announced by the Minister for Rural Development on 15 March 2001.

Ross Finnie: I refer to the statement I made this morning providing an update on the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will be in a position to say whether compensation will be paid, and, if so, at what level, to the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland in respect of loss of income caused by voluntary closure due to foot-and-mouth disease.

Alex Fergusson (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what further steps it is taking to support rural businesses in the wake of the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak.

Mr Alasdair Morrison: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-14552 on 28 March 2001.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are currently being taken to eradicate foot-and-mouth disease.

Ross Finnie: My statement this morning explained how eradication of this disease is being tackled.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-3090 by Ross Finnie on 15 March 2001, whether, in light of the statement of the UK Chief Veterinary Officer on 19 March 2001 that a vaccination programme has not been ruled out, it has any plans to consider vaccinating livestock against foot-and-mouth disease.

Ross Finnie: As I made clear in my Statement to the Parliament today the decision on whether or not to vaccinate will be made by the Scottish Executive, taking account of the situation in Scotland and Veterinary advice.

Football

Dr Winnie Ewing (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide financial assistance towards the establishment of the proposed football academy being set up by Inverness Caledonian Thistle and Ross County football clubs.

Allan Wilson: Financial assistance for football academies is available from  sportscotland. All Premier and Football League clubs have been informed of this and the criteria to be used in assessing applications.

Gaelic

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the First Minister what steps are being taken to ensure an adequate supply of Gaelic medium teachers.

Mr Jim Wallace: The supply of Gaelic-medium teachers continues to be a priority for Scottish ministers. The Executive asked the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council (SHEFC) to pursue ways to increase the supply of Gaelic-medium teachers for introduction in academic session 2001-02. SHEFC have responded by allocating 10 funded places to Strathclyde University for the Postgraduate Certificate in Education specifically to support primary Gaelic-medium provision.

General Practitioners

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-13221 by Susan Deacon on 9 February 2001, what gross salary will be offered to salaried GPs in rural Scotland under the initiative launched on 19 February 2001 and what criteria will be used to determine the salary levels of such GPs.

Susan Deacon: Personal Medical Services contracts are designed to meet local needs and the local services which will be provided to meet those needs. The level of GP remuneration will be determined locally, on the basis of the local services to be provided.

Health

Shona Robison (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which NHS Trusts are re-categorising day case patients as out-patients in order to reduce waiting lists.

Shona Robison (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many day case patients have been re-categorised as out-patients in the last 12 months in order to reduce waiting lists, broken down by NHS Trust.

Susan Deacon: It is for NHS Trusts, and in particular for hospital consultants, to determine the most appropriate setting for the treatment of individual patients. We are not aware of any instances of NHS Trusts re-categorising day cases as out-patients in order to reduce waiting lists.

Health

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-6954 by Susan Deacon on 2 June 2000, when the Rehabilitation Technology Information Service will report its findings.

Susan Deacon: The Rehabilitation Technology Information Service is due to provide an initial progress report in the near future.

Health

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children in Scotland use a wheelchair.

Susan Deacon: There are around 8,000 children (under 18 years of age) in Scotland currently using wheelchairs.

Health

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to meet parents from the organisation Fastrax to discuss improvements in the provision of paediatric wheelchairs.

Susan Deacon: Officials from the Health Department have previously met with the founders of the Fastrax Mobility Trust. They also arranged their attendance at a meeting of the Rehabilitation Technology Services Advisory Group in 1998 to allow them to address the heads of NHSScotland rehabilitation technology services.

Health

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many renal consultants were employed by head count and by full-time equivalent in each of the last three years, broken down by health board.

Susan Deacon: The latest information available is shown in the table, which should be read in conjunction with the notes following:

  


Renal Consultants by Health Board area at 30 September 
  


 

Headcount 
  

WTE 
  


 

1997 
  

1998 
  

1999 
  

1997 
  

1998 
  

1999 
  



Scotland 
  

17 
  

21 
  

29 
  

15.9 
  

19.2 
  

26.5 
  



Ayrshire & Arran 
  

1 
  

1 
  

1 
  

1.0 
  

1.0 
  

1.0 
  



Fife 
  

0 
  

0 
  

1 
  

- 
  

- 
  

1.0 
  



Grampian 
  

1 
  

1 
  

2 
  

1.0 
  

1.0 
  

1.6 
  



Greater Glasgow 
  

8 
  

9 
  

11 
  

8.0 
  

9.0 
  

11.0 
  



Lanarkshire 
  

0 
  

0 
  

1 
  

- 
  

- 
  

1.0 
  



Lothian 
  

4 
  

7 
  

9 
  

2.9 
  

5.2 
  

6.8 
  



Tayside 
  

3 
  

3 
  

4 
  

3.0 
  

3.0 
  

4.0 
  



  Notes:

  1. Source: Medical and Dental Manpower Census, ISD Scotland.

  2. Latest information available is as at 30 September 1999. Data from the 2000 census will be available in the next few months.

  3. Figures given include honorary consultants.

  4. Health board areas that did not have consultants working solely in the specialty of renal medicine in any of the years 1997, 1998 or 1999 are not shown.

  5. It should be noted that, in addition to those consultants in the table above, there are also a large number of general physicians with a subspecialty interest in renal medicine working in all areas of Scotland. Subspecialty statistics are not collected centrally, so it is not possible to give an exact figure for these.

Health

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-11275 by Mr Jim Wallace on 11 January 2001, why the number of excess winter deaths has increased from 2,610 in 1997-98 to 5,190 in 1999-2000.

Mr Jim Wallace: Year to year fluctuations in the numbers of "excess winter deaths", however defined, show a close relationship with the occurrence of major influenza outbreaks. Whilst the numbers of deaths where the underlying cause is recorded as being influenza is normally relatively low, even during a relatively severe outbreak, there is invariably a sizeable increase in the numbers of deaths from related causes, notably pneumonia and other respiratory conditions. This was the case during the winter of 1999-2000, and also to a slightly lesser extent during that of 1998-99. Though complete data for the winter of 2000-01 is not yet available, provisional figures suggest that the number of "excess winter deaths" will be in line with that normally observed during a winter when influenza activity is limited, such as 1997-98.

Hepatitis

Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review the decision to refuse compensation to patients with haemophilia who contracted hepatitis C through contaminated blood products.

Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive has no plans to do so.

Higher Education

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of Scotland’s university graduates graduated in science, engineering or related subjects in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The information requested is detailed in the following table:

  Graduates and Diplomates from Higher Education Institutions in Scotland

  

 

1995-96 
  

1996-97 
  

1997-98 
  

1998-99 
  

1999-00 
  



All Graduates 
  

37,412 
  

37,525 
  

40,881 
  

38,783 
  

42,286 
  



No. Science Related 
  

10,175 
  

9,606 
  

9,871 
  

9,469 
  

9,554 
  



% Science Related* 
  

27.2% 
  

25.6% 
  

24.1% 
  

24.4% 
  

22.6% 
  



  Source: HESA (Higher Education Statistics Agency).

  * "Science Related" includes Engineering & Technology, Biological Sciences, Physical Sciences, Maths & Computing.

Housing

Mr Keith Harding (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities have adopted the model secure tenancy agreement.

Jackie Baillie: The information requested is not held centrally. While some authorities are using the Model Secure Tenancy Agreement (MoSTA), it has not yet been widely adopted as MoSTA did not become available until after the secure tenancy had been introduced. However, authorities have been encouraged to follow the model in respect of all new tenancies and tenancy agreements that are subject to review.

Housing

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all the official correspondence it has received on the issue of housing in Cumbernauld.

Jackie Baillie: The Scottish Executive has received four letters in this connection since 1 April 2000 and a number of representations have been made to the Minister by Cathie Craigie, MSP for Cumbernauld and Kilsyth.

Influenza

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what level of take-up was achieved in its flu vaccination campaign and what impact the campaign had on NHS performance levels.

Susan Deacon: Due to the efforts of GPs and NHS staff, the Scotland-wide target of 60% uptake for 2000-01 has been exceeded, with 63.5% of the total number of patients aged 65 and over in reporting practices receiving the vaccine.

  This has been part of the range of measures allowing the NHS to cope with demands over the winter.

Justice

Mr Kenneth Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it plans to take to address the concerns of the Cawley family over the handling of the prosecution case in relation to the murder of Christopher Cawley in September 2000.

Colin Boyd QC: A number of MSPs have written to me in connection with this matter. I have replied advising them that I have asked the Deputy Crown Agent to meet the Cawley family to discuss their concerns.

Museums

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to transferring responsibility for museums and galleries from local authorities to the Scottish Executive.

Allan Wilson: We have no plans to assume responsibility for non-national museums and galleries but we are making an additional £3 million available over the next three years for a restructuring fund aimed at putting the museums sector on a more secure financial footing.

Museums

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received for national funding to be made available for the long-term preservation of Glasgow Museum’s collections.

Allan Wilson: No such representations have been received. The Executive have met representatives of Glasgow City Council as a first step in our National Cultural Strategy commitment to work with the council to examine the circumstances of their museum service. We agreed to continue discussions.

National Lottery Funding

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much Millennium Commission funding has been allocated to each (a) parliamentary region and (b) parliamentary constituency and what percentage of the total monies allocated by the Commission in Scotland each of these figures represents.

Allan Wilson: I attach the information requested, as supplied by the Millennium Commission.

  


Constituency/Region 
  

Total (£) 
  

Percentage of total allocation in Scotland 
  



Airdrie and Shotts 
  

8,842.00 
  

0.00 
  



Coatbridge and Chryston 
  

49,154.44 
  

0.02 
  



Cumbernauld & Kilsyth 
  

46,069.52 
  

0.02 
  



East Kilbride 
  

24,548.00 
  

0.01 
  



Falkirk East 
  

29,920.00 
  

0.01 
  



Falkirk West 
  

17,116.00 
  

0.01 
  



Hamilton North and Bellshill 
  

47,041.65 
  

0.02 
  



Hamilton South 
  

28,305.00 
  

0.01 
  



Kilmarnock and Louden 
  

32,995.00 
  

0.02 
  



Motherwell and Wishaw 
  

8,699.00 
  

0.00 
  



Total for Central Scotland region 
  

292,690.61 
  

0.14 
  



Glasgow Anniesland 
  

445,026.00 
  

0.21 
  



Glasgow Ballieston 
  

1,267,427.49 
  

0.61 
  



Glasgow Cathcart 
  

25,476,114.00 
  

12.30 
  



Glasgow Govan 
  

35,671,650.32 
  

17.23 
  



Glasgow Kelvin 
  

653,214.84 
  

0.32 
  



Glasgow Maryhill 
  

32,739,804.00 
  

15.81 
  



Glasgow Pollock 
  

459,946.80 
  

0.22 
  



Glasgow Rutherglen 
  

385,420.00 
  

0.19 
  



Glasgow Shettleston 
  

421,185.00 
  

0.20 
  



Glasgow Springburn 
  

527,743.42 
  

0.25 
  



Total for Glasgow region 
  

98,041,531.87 
  

47.34 
  



Argyll and Bute 
  

475,696.00 
  

0.23 
  



Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross 
  

75,725.00 
  

0.04 
  



Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber 
  

312,396.88 
  

0.15 
  



Moray 
  

52,381.00 
  

0.03 
  



Orkney and Shetland 
  

3,788,843.96 
  

1.83 
  



Ross, Skye and Inverness West 
  

353,426.20 
  

0.17 
  



Shetland (see Orkney) 
  

27,119.00 
  

0.01 
  



Western Isles (Eilean Siar) 
  

67,637.00 
  

0.03 
  



Total for Highlands and Islands region 
  

5,153,225.04 
  

2.49 
  



Edinburgh Central 
  

553,725.32 
  

0.27 
  



Edinburgh East and Musselburgh 
  

384,461.00 
  

0.19 
  



Edinburgh North and Leith 
  

473,962.30 
  

0.23 
  



Edinburgh Pentlands 
  

78,293.98 
  

0.04 
  



Edinburgh South 
  

132,097.30 
  

0.06 
  



Edinburgh West 
  

19,035,123.04 
  

9.19 
  



Linlithgow 
  

106,744.50 
  

0.05 
  



Livingston 
  

50,497.00 
  

0.02 
  



Midlothian 
  

56,271.00 
  

0.03 
  



Total for Lothian region 
  

20,871,175.44 
  

10.08 
  



Central Fife 
  

1,891,011.00 
  

0.91 
  



Dunfermline East 
  

41,980.00 
  

0.02 
  



Dunfermline West 
  

46,016.00 
  

0.02 
  



Kirkcaldy 
  

62,246.00 
  

0.03 
  



North East Fife 
  

135,110.96 
  

0.07 
  



North Tayside 
  

88,995.00 
  

0.04 
  



Ochil 
  

112,929.00 
  

0.05 
  



Perth 
  

62,039.00 
  

0.03 
  



Stirling 
  

114,783.99 
  

0.06 
  



Total for Mid Scotland and Fife region 
  

2,555,110.95 
  

1.23 
  



Aberdeen Central 
  

42,933.00 
  

0.02 
  



Aberdeen North 
  

89,677.50 
  

0.04 
  



Aberdeen South 
  

12,325.00 
  

0.01 
  



Angus 
  

38,704.22 
  

0.02 
  



Banff and Buchan 
  

59,454.75 
  

0.03 
  



Dundee East 
  

174,364.56 
  

0.08 
  



Dundee West 
  

1,967,152.84 
  

0.95 
  



Gordon 
  

429,654.00 
  

0.21 
  



West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine 
  

57,510.00 
  

0.03 
  



Total for North East Scotland Region 
  

2,871,775.87 
  

1.39 
  



Ayr 
  

28,996.00 
  

0.01 
  



Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley 
  

72,333.00 
  

0.03 
  



Clydesdale 
  

92,758.00 
  

0.04 
  



Cunninghame South 
  

5,597,987.00 
  

2.70 
  



Dumfries 
  

100,183.42 
  

0.05 
  



East Lothian 
  

1,403,682.80 
  

0.68 
  



Galloway and Upper Nithsdale 
  

768,739.92 
  

0.37 
  



Roxburgh and Berwickshire 
  

155,016.00 
  

0.07 
  



Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale 
  

145,709.00 
  

0.07 
  



Total South Scotland region 
  

8,365,405.14 
  

4.04 
  



Clydebank and Milngavie 
  

114,272.00 
  

0.06 
  



Cunninghame North 
  

15,730.00 
  

0.01 
  



Dumbarton 
  

327,519.00 
  

0.16 
  



Eastwood 
  

70,642.00 
  

0.03 
  



Greenock and Inverclyde 
  

98,015.00 
  

0.05 
  



Paisley North 
  

11,861.90 
  

0.01 
  



Paisley South 
  

15,388.12 
  

0.01 
  



Strathkelvin and Bearsden 
  

64,779.00 
  

0.03 
  



West Renfrewshire 
  

53,307.67 
  

0.03 
  



Total for West Scotland Region 
  

771,514.69 
  

0.37 
  



Projects undefinable by constituency (Festivals and umbrella 
  projects) 
  

68,167,003.00 
  

32.92 
  



Total for Scotland 
  

207,089,432.61 
  

100.00

New Deal

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it will give to including assertiveness courses as part of the New Deal.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Employment Policy is reserved to the UK Government which takes the lead in funding and delivery of the New Deal. In Scotland it does this in partnership with the Scottish Executive and contributing Scottish organisations.

  By responding to individual needs, New Deal seeks to improve participants’ prospects of finding and retaining employment. Where appropriate this will include help with motivation, soft and jobsearch skills.

Pensioners

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to alleviate pensioner poverty in Scotland.

Jackie Baillie: In our Social Justice Strategy , we have set long-term targets of ensuring older people are financially secure and that increased numbers enjoy independent and healthy lives.

  The first Social Justice Annual Report, which was published on 13 November 2000, sets out what is being done to support our social justice targets and milestones for older people. This includes a community care package of £300 million over three years, the installation of central heating for 70,000 pensioners and free off-peak bus travel.

  In addition, we are working closely with the UK Government which is working through the tax and benefits system to improve the incomes of poorer pensioners.

Planning

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the findings of Power Frequency Electromagnetic Fields and the Risk of Cancer by the National Radiological Protection Board give rise to any concerns about the health implications of electro-magnetic radiation from telecommunications masts located in residential areas.

Malcolm Chisholm: This review was carried out by the Advisory Group on Non-ionising Radiation (AGNIR) on behalf of the NRPB Board to assess the potential risks of cancer from electromagnetic fields and to recommend any further steps that should be taken to protect the health of the public. The AGNIR report deals specifically with the low frequency electric and magnetic fields arising from the electricity supply system. It does not cover exposure to the much higher frequencies used by mobile phone technology, and therefore does not give rise to any concerns about mobile phone base stations.

  The Independent Expert Group on Mobile Phones (IEGMP) was set up to assess the current state of knowledge on the possible health effects from mobile phone technology. Their report, which was published in May 2000, concluded that the balance of evidence does not suggest that mobile phone technologies are a risk to health.

Prison Service

Mr Keith Harding (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many prison officers employed at Glenochil Prison and aged under 35 have left the service in each of the past three years.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  


Year 
  

Number of officers 
  



28.03.98-27.03.99 
  

4 
  



28.03.99-27.03.00 
  

10 
  



28.03.00-27.03.01 
  

13

Rates

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why it did not seek to make a statement in the Parliament regarding the launch of the consultation on rates relief for small businesses.

Peter Peacock: Details of the consultation were announced on 14 February in reply to question S1W-13413.

Residential Care

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time was for an elderly person to receive a residential care place in each of the last three years for which figures are available, broken down by local authority.

Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is not available centrally.

Roads

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many times permission for new accesses to trunk roads for new or proposed developments has been refused in recent years and whether it can quantify the impact of its policy on new accesses to trunk roads on the rural economy.

Sarah Boyack: During 1999 and 2000, officials within the Scottish Executive Road Network Management and Maintenance Division gave advice to Scottish planning authorities on 1,250 planning applications, some of which would have included requests for new accesses onto trunk roads. The determination of these planning applications then rests with the relevant local planning authority.

  Generally, proposals for new accesses to trunk roads are assessed by the Executive and relevant local planning authority, on a case by case basis. The benefits and costs of trunk road access are carefully assessed, (with particular regard to the likely impact on accidents and traffic flows), alongside those of the alternative options available to meet the developers’ needs.

Roads

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-1419 by Sarah Boyack on 27 September 1999, what its estimate is of the capital value of the trunk road and motorway network at 1 April 2001.

Sarah Boyack: The estimated capital value of the trunk road and motorway network as at 1 April 2001 is not yet available.

Science and Technology

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to encourage young people to study civil engineering.

Ms Wendy Alexander: In Scotland, the Scottish Education Unit of the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), the National Training Organisation for the construction sector, is in the lead on promoting this study and career option. The unit provides a single approach to promoting careers in the construction industry among school pupils in Scotland, with the emphasis on the 14-18 age group. The unit undertakes two key strands of activity to promote civil engineering. It provides a range of activities, such as work shadowing and building competitions, to promote professional and management careers in the sector and, through the CITB Curriculum Centres Initiative, organises school-based projects, with links to FE colleges.

  At UK level, the Hawley Group Report, has recommended that the Engineering Council evolves into the Engineering and Technology Board, to meet the needs and aspirations of an increasingly diverse engineering community. Ownership of the process remains with the engineering community itself and the shape and remit of the new board will be for them to decide.

Scottish Executive Accommodation

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will place in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre a copy of the technical report produced in the 1990s on asbestos in New St Andrew’s House.

Angus MacKay: The lease on New St Andrew’s House was held by the Secretary of State for the Environment and the responsibility for the maintenance of the building rested with UK agencies (firstly the Property Services Agency (PSA) and latterly Property Holdings). The PSA commissioned a technical report entitled New St Andrew’s House Preliminary Study: Asbestos Removal and Office Refurbishment (March 1989) and Property Holdings commissioned the final report entitled New St Andrew’s House Feasibility Study (October 1990) .

  We have arranged with Property Advisers to the Civil Estate (PACE, successor body to the PSA and Property Holdings) to place copies of both reports in the Parliament’s Reference Centre.

Scottish Executive Accommodation

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much was spent on new capital investment in and refurbishment of Scottish Executive property in each year for which figures are available, specifying the amount spent in each year on each project.

Angus MacKay: Responsibility for property, including refurbishments, was delegated to the Scottish Office from Property Holdings (an Agency of the Cabinet Office) on 1 April 1996. These responsibilities were assumed by the Scottish Executive on 1 July 1999.

  The cost of refurbishment (excluding maintenance, repairs and minor works) since 1 April 1996 is shown in the table.

  


Project 
  

1996-97
(£ million) 
  

1997-98
(£ million) 
  

1998-99
(£ million) 
  

1999-2000
(£ million) 
  

2000-01
*Estimated
(£ million) 
  



St Andrew’s House Refurbishment 
  
 
 

1.47 
  

7.07 
  

4.94 
  



Saughton House
Conversion of areas to provide additional staff accommodation 
  
 

0.06 
  

0.04 
  

0.12 
  

0.02 
  



  Expenditure on refurbishment projects comprises both capital and current expenditure under the present accounting rules.

Scottish Executive Nursery Facilities

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the current (a) hourly, (b) daily and (c) weekly charges are for use of the nursery facilities at Victoria Quay and what these costs have been in each year since 1997.

Angus Mackay: It is not the Scottish Executive practice to publish commercial information provided to it in confidence by suppliers tendering for Scottish Executive contracts. The contractor may choose to disclose this information.

Scottish Executive Publications

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the recent merger between Tactica Solutions and Astron will give rise to any changes to its current contract with Tactica Solutions and whether it will detail any such anticipated changes.

Angus MacKay: The recent merger of Tactica Solutions and Astron does not change the contractual arrangements for the provision of the service to the Scottish Executive for design, print and publication requirements.

Scottish Executive Publications

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether its documents will continue to bear the text "designed and produced for the Scottish Executive by Tactica Solutions" or whether this text will be altered as a result of the recent merger between Tactica Solutions and Astron.

Angus MacKay: Tactica Solutions Ltd. and Astron recently merged to form Astron Document Services Limited. The text on Scottish Executive publications on which work started after 12 February 2001 will reflect the change of name.

Secure Units

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the current position is in relation to discussions with Glasgow City Council about the refurbishment of Kerelaw secure unit.

Nicol Stephen: Jack McConnell discussed this matter with council representatives as part of a recent visit to the unit. The council have commissioned a study of Public/Private Partnership as a funding option. We await sight of the study and will then consider the matter further with the council.

Skye Bridge

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why the Invergarry-Kyle of Lochalsh A87 Extension (Skye Bridge Crossing) Toll Order (SI 1992/1501) was classified as a "local and private non-print" with its effect described as "none".

Sarah Boyack: Certification as a local instrument reflected the fact that the impact of the 1992 Toll Order was confined to the Skye Bridge crossing. The Appeal Court, High Court of Justiciary, in its decision dated 16 December 1999, rejected the submission that the Order required to be printed and sold in terms of the relevant legislation. Public notice was given of both the proposal to make, and the making of, the Order, and of the general effect of the Order.

Skye Bridge

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there was any type of bridge in place between Skye and Eilan Ban or the UK mainland in June 1992 when the notice required by Schedule 2 to the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984, concerning the validity and date of operation of toll orders and schemes, was published in accordance with section 27(3) of the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991.

Sarah Boyack: No.

Skye Bridge

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the public were advised that the effect of the Invergarry-Kyle of Lochalsh Trunk Road (A87) Extension (Skye Bridge Crossing) Special Road Scheme Order 1992 (SI 1992/1499), the Invergarry-Kyle of Lochalsh Trunk Road (A87) Extension (Skye Bridge Crossing) Special Road (Side Roads) Order 1992 (SI 1992/1500) and the Invergarry-Kyle of Lochalsh Trunk Road (A87) Extension (Skye Bridge Crossing) Toll Order 1992 (SI 1992/1501) were subject to a civil suspension clause in the Concession Agreement between the Secretary of State for Scotland and Skye Bridge Tolls Limited.

Sarah Boyack: The Concession Agreement between the then Secretary of State for Scotland, now Scottish ministers, and the Concessionaire forms part of the contract documentation relating to the Skye Bridge crossing. It is subject to provisions regarding confidentiality, as is normal in commercial contracts of this kind. Details of the provisions of the agreement have not been published.

Skye Bridge

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the public were advised that the concessionaire under the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991, who was authorised to charge and collect tolls, had changed its name in 1993 and, if so, how and when.

Sarah Boyack: The change of the concessionaire’s name from Skye Bridge Tolls Limited to Skye Bridge Limited in 1993 did not otherwise affect the rights or obligations of either party to the Concession Agreement. No formal notice of this change was therefore published.

Skye Bridge

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the alternative route described in the Invergarry-Kyle of Lochalsh Trunk Road (A87) Extension (Skye Bridge Crossing) Special Road (Side Roads) Order 1992 (SI 1992/1500) has been completed.

Sarah Boyack: No alternative route is described in the Order. All of the works specified in that Order have been completed.

Special Educational Needs

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail the guidance in place across health bodies, local authority education and social work departments and any other relevant bodies to ensure a cohesive approach to those diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Malcolm Chisholm: No specific guidance has been issued on provision for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. General guidance on Special Educational Needs (SEN) is contained in the Scottish Executive Manual of Good Practice for all staff and professionals involved with children and young people with special educational needs. Further advice on good practice can be found in the Scottish Executive publications, Taking a Closer Look at Promoting Social Competence , Sharing Good Practice and Circular 4/96: Children and Young People with Special Educational Needs-Assessment and Recording .

  Circular 4/96 provides advice to education authorities on the assessment and recording arrangements in Scotland for children and young people with learning needs across the full range of special educational needs. The National SEN Advisory Forum is conducting a review of these statutory arrangements and Circular 4/96 will be updated in light of any proposed changes.

  The Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) is currently developing a clinical guideline on Attention Deficit and Hyperkinetic Disorders in Children and Young People, which is due to be published later this year. The guideline will be disseminated to a range of interests including NHS Trusts and health boards.

Sport

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether  sportscotland received a proposal from the Camanachd Association to set up a working party to discuss an increase in its core funding; whether this proposal has been rejected and what the reasons were for any such decision; whether sportscotland has requested that an independent review of shinty be conducted; what the reasons are for any such request and what such a review will cost, and whether it will consider redirecting the cost of any such review towards increasing the core grant of the Camanachd Association.

Allan Wilson: As explained in my response to question S1W-12677 on 14 February,  sportscotland has offered to fund an independent review of the Camanachd Association. The association’s response was to reject the offer and instead propose that an independently chaired working party be set up to look at the differences between it and  sportscotland.  sportscotland rejected this approach because of concerns that a working party would focus on the issue of the Camanachd Association’s core funding, an issue on which a decision has already been taken.

  An independent review of the Camanachd Association would be wide ranging and its aim would be to ensure the long-term success of shinty and the viability of the association. The cost of a review would be approximately £10,000. sportscotland would not consider redirecting the one off costs of a review to the Camanachd Association’s core grant as there is presently no basis on which to increase the Camanachd Association’s core funding.

  sportscotland’s offer of an independent review remains on the table. The way forward for the Camanachd Association and the sport of shinty is to accept the offer.

Tourism

Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-14126 by Mr Alasdair Morrison on 27 March 2001, whether it will provide details of visitscotland’s recovery plan for the tourism industry.

Mr Alasdair Morrison: Visitscotland announced on 4 April its proposals for immediate assistance for the industry. These take the form of marketing and information campaigns at both the Scotland and local levels, together with help for individual businesses that are members of area tourist boards and the visitscotland Quality Assurance schemes.

Tourism

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will include the museum and heritage sector in any plans for compensation or financial relief from government arising out of the current foot-and-mouth disease outbreak.

Allan Wilson: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1O-3251 on 5 April.

Transport

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether licensing and operation of haulage vehicles weighing 45 tons or over on roads on which schools are located is compatible with its policy on safer routes to schools.

Sarah Boyack: The regulation and licensing of vehicles is a reserved matter. Roads authorities have powers to prevent the use of specified roads by particular types of vehicle. In addition, they are required to be notified of any proposed movement on public roads of vehicles of 45 tonnes and over.

  It is up to them to consider applications for such movements in the light of all the local circumstances, including whether or not the proposed route passes a school.

Transport

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what powers it has to restrict haulage vehicles from using routes on which schools are located.

Sarah Boyack: Road authorities are responsible for all aspects of road safety, road maintenance and traffic management on roads in their area. They have powers under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 to prevent the use of roads by vehicular traffic of a kind, or in a manner, which is unsuitable having regard to the character of the road.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Holyrood Project

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Presiding Officer, further to his answer to question S1W-13919 on 20 March 2001, whether the advice obtained on preventing the colonisation by waterfowl of the water features at the new Parliament building at Holyrood will be made available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Sir David Steel: When further advice is obtained and has been considered by the Holyrood Progress Group, I will write to Mr Monteith and place a copy of the letter in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Holyrood Project

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Presiding Officer, further to his answer to question S1W-13919 on 20 March 2001, what capital budget has been set aside for the new provision of an underwater pumping system in the water features at the new Parliament building at Holyrood.

Sir David Steel: Provision for the underwater pumping system is included in the capital budget for "landscaping", which covers improvement works to the area surrounding the Holyrood building.

Holyrood Project

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Presiding Officer, further to his answer to question S1W-13921 on 20 March 2001, whether the glazing specification set out in the guidelines for physical security has been incorporated into the design of the glazing facing Horse Wynd, at the main entrance and of the windows of MSP’s offices.

Sir David Steel: I am advised by the Convener of the Holyrood Progress Group that the glazing at the main entrance to the Holyrood building facing Horse Wynd, and the MSP block office windows, adhere to the Government guidelines for physical security.

Parliamentary Staff

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer how many staff are currently employed by the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body and whether there are any plans to disperse any staff outwith Edinburgh.

Sir David Steel: The Scottish Parliamentary Body currently employs 424 staff (figures as at 30 March 2001). There are no plans to disperse any staff outwith Edinburgh .